It concerns Freddie Grant, a man arrested following the
disappearance of a 15-year-old girl, Gabrielle Swainson. The
story below it is based on an interview with the local sheriff,
Leon Lott.

As Fisher remarks, the sheriff "no slouch when it comes to media
savvy, continues to spin the story like a twister coming out of
the plains."

Here are the opening paragraphs to the story:

"A man described as a monster and a career criminal forced
15-year-old Gabrielle Swainson from her home in the wee hours
of the night on Aug. 18 and took her to his burned-out house on
a dirt lane in Elgin.

What happened in that house is unknown, but there is clear
evidence of foul play, Sheriff Leon Lott said Tuesday."

Fisher seems unduly upset about the opening par because it is
unattributed, which strikes me as completely beside the point.
Whether attributed or not, the fact is that readers will have an
image of Grant as "a monster" and know he has a criminal record.

"The mystery of how an accused kidnapper entered the home of
missing teen Gabrielle Swainson has been solved after
investigators found a key inside the suspect's house, Richland
County Sheriff Leon Lott said Wednesday."

Fisher points to the Associated Press stylebook:

"To avoid any suggestion that an individual is being judged
before a trial, do not use a phrase such as accused slayer John
Jones; use John Jones, accused of the slaying."

But that's just a wrinkle. The real sin here, surely, is the
revealing of key evidence before trial in a pejorative manner.
The crime is all but "solved" in this story.

And the newspaper - standing four square behind its "right" to
report fearlessly - is certainly aiding the sheriff in his
character assassination. Freedom is all very well but it must be
used responsibly.

I really don't think we want that kind of press freedom in
Britain, do we?